1. Field
The exemplary embodiments described herein relate to a paper edge cleaner for an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, a printer, etc. and to an image forming apparatus that has a paper edge cleaner.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic image-forming apparatus makes a copy or a print by transferring a toner image to paper, and fixes the toner image on the paper using heat and pressure. Many types of paper can be used. Moreover, a high image quality and a uniform glossiness are required for a full-color image, such as a photograph or a computer graphics image.
Uniform glossiness is prevented by a cutting burr that is made on a paper edge when the paper is cut, because the burr damages a fixing member in a fixing unit. When a plurality of same size papers are continuously used, the cutting burr on the edge of the paper contacts a same place on the fixing member and damages a surface on the fixing member at a fixing nip. Such damage causes an uneven glossiness line and a poor image. To solve this problem, applications JPH10-218459 and JP2005-179041 describe crushing the burr at the paper edge by a strong pressure provided by a pair of rollers.
However, the above-described rollers for crushing the burr have the following problems. Such rollers need a high pressure to crush the cutting burr on the paper. Therefore, such a roller system requires a big roller and a strong frame to maintain the high pressure, along with a strong driving source. This makes the apparatus bigger. Moreover, in this system, an impulsive sound occurs when the paper passes through the rollers.